CHAP. XV.] 
LOSE THE ROAD. 
423 
MVa occupied the country in advance, and that we 
should not he able to pass them on our present route, 
as they were close to that spot. It was now past 
midnight, the country was perfectly still, and having 
no confidence in the guides I led the way. 
About a mile from the huts that we had passed I 
suddenly observed the light of numerous fires, and 
a great number of temporary huts formed of green 
grass and plantain leaves : this was the camp of the 
IT was. I did not observe any people, nor did we 
wait long in our present position, but taking a path 
that led to the north, we quietly and stealthily con¬ 
tinued our march through walls of high grass, until 
in about an hour we arrived in a totally different 
country. There was no longer the dismal grass jungle 
in which a man was as much lost as a rabbit in 
a field of corn, but beautiful park-like glades of rich 
and tender grass like an English meadow stretched 
before us in the pale moonlight, darkened in many 
places by the shadows of large isolated trees and 
clumps of forest. Continuing along this agreeable 
route we suddenly arrived at a spot where numerous 
well-beaten paths branched into all directions. This 
was extreme confusion. We had left the direct route 
to Foweera when we had made the detour to avoid 
the MVa s camp. I knew that as we had then turned 
to the north, our course should now be due east. There 
was a path leading in that direction; but just as we 
were quietly deliberating upon the most advisable 
eourse, we heard distant voices. Any voice in this 
neighbourhood I concluded must be that of an enemy, 
therefore I ordered my people to sit down, while two 
men concealed themselves on the borders of a jungle, 
about a hundred yards distant, as sentries. 
I then sent Bacheeta and one of the guides towards 
the spot, from which the sound of voices had pro¬ 
ceeded, to listen to their language, and to report 
whether they were MVas, or people of Foweera, The 
spies started cautiously on their errand. 
